Opened as a
variety hall called
Campbell's Music Salon in 1857, a
conversion of the first and second floors of a warehouse building.
Originally seated around 800 on wooden bench-style seating, with room
for around 300 standing.

Renamed the Britannia in 1859, and again in 1887 as Hubner's
Animatograph. Rebuilt as the Panopticon 1906, and became the Tron
Cinema in
1922, before reverting to Panopticon again until closure in 1938.

Was used for cine-variety from around 1910, and finally closed as a
cinema in 1938.

Upper level of original auditorium is still
intact and
largely
untouched above
amusment arcade. Many atefacts recovered; projection portholes and
much
more still in situ - see links to interior photos below.
Listed Category
A

Plans are afoot by the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust
to
restore and reopen the hall to the public again.

For more information
on the Britannia, and to join the Friends of the
Britannia Trust, visit their website here.

Excepts from the ProspectusCourtesy of
the Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland

In 2009, the frontage was restored (as above photo). The historic clean
up was completed under the direction of conservation architect Keith
Hamilton of B3 Architects. B3 specialises in museums and listed
buildings and includes the restoration of Nottingham Castle in their
prestigious list of credits.

Now the peeling blue paint which had been a familiar sight since the
1930’s, has gone to reveal a magnificent façade which was the original
vision of Glasgow Architects Thomas Gildard and Robert H. M. MacFarlane
in 1857.

In addition to peeling off the blue and repairing the stone some of the
original historic features have also been restored and recreated,
including the missing Putti (small children – usually boys - which are
traditionally depicted naked). The Putti were recreated by sculptor,
Jez Ainsworth, who in recent years worked with Hathernware on the
restoration of the magnificent Doulton Fountain which has been
relocated to the front of the People’s Palace on Glasgow Green.

This work was funded by Historic Scotland, Merchant City Townscape
Heritage Initiative and the Mitchell Family (the owners of
the building) and cost in the region of £900,000.